


The Long Road Home

by ambpersand



Category: Hunger Games (2012), Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M, Pregnancy, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-14
Updated: 2013-03-14
Packaged: 2017-12-05 02:16:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/717699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambpersand/pseuds/ambpersand
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Johanna and Gale's relationship wasn't perfect, but it was theirs. When the unexpected happens and Johanna ends up pregnant, they've both got to figure out what happens next.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Long Road Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheWeekendSinner](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWeekendSinner/gifts).



> Thank you so much to my best friend and beta, Molly, who listened to my half crazed rants and suggested ideas while I tried to figure out what to write. 
> 
> And for TheWeekendSinner, I hope you enjoy!

             _“Hawthorne!”_ the shout echoed through the living room as the front door was thrown open, followed closely behind by an angry brunette.

 

            Gale Hawthorne sat frozen in his living room as Johanna Mason stormed in, and the small house shook with the force of the door as it slammed against the wall. He didn’t speak as she strode over to where he sat, her finger extended accusingly as she began ranting.

 

            _“I cannot believe you did this to me!_ You’re such an asshole! _”_ her hands were shaking; the one that wasn’t shoved in his face was clenched in a tight fist at her side. “This wasn’t supposed to happen,” she gritted out between her teeth.

 

            Gale narrowed his eyes, unsure of what was happening. “Johanna, slow down,” he stood carefully and looked down at her. She was furious; her skin was tinged red, her body trembled and her chest heaved as she continued to berate him.

 

            “You’ve ruined my _life! And you don’t even care, do you?!”_ her voice was heightening in pitch, pushing her further towards hysterics. He was confused at her anger, and growing defensive at her attacks.

 

            “I haven’t done anything wrong, Johanna! Stop it!” he attempted to yell over her, trying desperately to get her to stop. She wouldn’t, and her accusations were quickly turning into insults as she poked her finger firmly into his chest.

 

            “I _hate_ you, you prick!” Johanna continued, even after Gale grasped her wrist to get her to stop. It only encouraged her anger, and she pushed against him with her free palm. “I swear, if you touch me, I’ll take an axe to your dick.”

 

            She didn’t seem to realize that she was the one attacking him, and Gale had to hold back the smirk that was threatening to take over his lips. He was barely holding on to her wrist to keep her from poking him even harder; he knew that if he didn’t get her calmed down she’d start destroying things.

 

            He could afford to replace the dishes again, not after her last outburst, and although she was significantly smaller than Gale, he was still unwilling to take the brunt of her fists. Seeing her like this though, her eyes wild and completely unafraid, was when she was the most beautiful.

 

            He silenced her with his lips, kissing her for a moment until her body went soft against his. The only way to get Johanna calmed down from her fury was distraction, and he needed to know why she was so angry. His lips moved easily against hers, working in rhythm and coaxing her down. She went from rigid to malleable, pressing her body against his chest and kissing him back feverishly.

 

            Gale pulled back, moving his hands to rest on either side of her face. “Are we okay?” he questioned, still prepared for her anger to come rushing back. Johanna didn’t bother answering, her eyes quickly filling with lust and replacing the aggression as she stared back at Gale. He saw the change happen instantaneously and reclaimed her lips. He was unable to deny the hold she had against him and even after two years, Gale reacted the same way to her body as he did the first night they were together.

 

            He backed her up against the wall, fisting her shirt in his fists. Her back came to rest against it with a thud; the roughness of their actions was the only outlet for the frustration they both felt.

 

            Wasting no time, Gale lifted the hem of her Johanna’s shirt over her head, only pausing to break the kiss momentarily. His lips trailed from her mouth to her jaw, creating a path of kisses that lead to her neck as he ran his palms over her bare skin. She shivered at his touch and opened her neck further to him as she worked at his belt. Her fingers fumbled when he nipped at the sensitive spot above her collarbone, suckling the skin and laving the sting away expertly with his tongue.

 

            “ _Gale,_ ” Johanna moaned, her fingers wrapping around his erection as soon as she had pushed his pants down past his hips. He bucked into her touch, groaning at the sensation of her warm hand wrapped around his cock. It had been days since they’d seen each other, and he felt like an addict who had just been handed his drug of choice.

 

            He focused on his hands, working to get her pants down her hips as fast as he could. He usually wanted to take his time with her body, to trail his tongue down her torso and ravish her folds with his tongue until she was screaming his name with her thighs thrown over his shoulders, but he couldn’t slow down. He couldn’t deny the burn that had instantly transformed into a raging fire inside him; he needed to be with her immediately.

 

            She helped him, kicking off her panties when they pooled around her ankles with her pants. Unbuttoning his shirt, Johanna raked her nails against his bare chest, stroking the muscles of his abs as his stomach tightened against her touch.

 

            In one swift movement, Gale turned her body around and pressed her chest against the wall. He wasted no time, running his hands down to her hips and parting her legs with one of his own. Grinding his erection against her ass, he was close to sinking himself into her when he paused.

 

            He unclasped her bra and pushed it off, reaching around to palm her breasts roughly, tweaking her nipples the way he knew she loved. At his touch, Johanna pushed herself more firmly against his cock, the mewling sound coming from her throat only added to his arousal.

 

            “Brace yourself against the wall,” he directed, positioning himself at her entrance. She did as she was told, pressing her hands against the cool surface in anticipation. Gale thrust into her at once, burying his cock deep into her warm, wet folds. His hips met her ass, and he groaned at the sensation.

 

            “Fuck, _Johanna_ ,” he began thrusting hard and steady, reveling in the way she felt against him. Holding on to her hips, he brought her body back against his over and over again, until they were both moaning uncontrollably. With one hand, Gale reached around and began massaging her breast, rolling the nipple in between his fingers with ease. The other hand snaked down to the apex of her thighs, finding the spot he knew she needed.

 

            He began rubbing light circles around her clit teasingly, waiting until she couldn’t take it anymore. It didn’t take long before she was gasping his name against the wall.

 

            “Gale,” her words were punctuated by the thrusts that wracked her entire body forward, “ _Please,_ ” she begged him. It was then that he swiped his finger directly over the sensitive nub, loving the way she clenched around his cock. He applied more pressure, circling his finger directly over her clit at a faster pace.

 

            It didn’t take long before Johanna’s legs were trembling, a sure sign that she was close to orgasm. “Keep going,” she cried out to him, reaching in between his legs to massage his balls. She wanted them to climax at the same time, her walls milking him when he came. A guttural sound escaped his throat at her touch, and he picked up the pace. His thrusts matched the speed of his ministrations on her clit, and he felt the wetness seeping out from her center.

 

            Suddenly, Johanna’s body went rigid and Gale felt her walls contract tight around his cock. “ _Gale!_ ” she yelled as she climaxed, her body shaking with the waves of pleasure that washed over her body. It was that added sensation that pushed him over the edge, and he came with a shout as he emptied himself inside her.

 

            Both of them were weak and trembling from pleasure, and they sunk to the floor together. Tucking her body into his, Gale leaned into Johanna and pushed her hair from her shoulder. Kissing it softly, he made her way up to her ear and nipped at it lightly. “Now will you tell me what’s wrong?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her.

 

            Her voice was weak and hoarse when she responded.

 

            “I’m pregnant.”

 

* * *

 

 

            Several weeks passed by, and Johanna found herself unloading her belongings from the back of her car and into Gale’s house. After the initial shock of her confession, Gale had gone into family-mode. He insisted immediately that she move in, uncaring that the small bungalow he lived in was barely large enough for one person, let alone two. He began making a list of things that they would need, spewing off stories from when he took care of his younger siblings as he was growing up.

 

            Each time he went on a tangent, Johanna sat back and observed, watching as he grew both excited and anxious. She could tell he wasn’t totally okay with the turn of events, no matter how often he reassured her that he was more than ready to take care of their child.

 

            “I love you, Johanna,” he would say before kissing her on the forehead, but the tense shoulders and distracted facial expressions were enough to let her know that he wasn’t ready.

 

            But neither was she, and they couldn’t change things. Maybe they could, but she wasn’t about to bring that up yet. She only allowed herself to think about it at night, wrapped in his arms as they lay in bed, letting herself wonder if she’d made the right choice.

 

            Instead of worrying him or making the situation worse, Johanna chose to force her smile and say “I love you too.”

 

* * *

 

 

            It was three and a half months into Johanna’s pregnancy when Gale came home from work to find her sitting on the kitchen floor, crying in front of the open refrigerator. Food was scattered about; open containers of takeout, ice cream, a jar of pickles, and a half empty jug of orange juice were stationed around her as she wept.

 

            “Johanna?” he questioned softly, making his way to where she sat on the floor. When she didn’t answer, he lowered himself down and sat next to her. “What’s wrong?”

 

            Lifting her head, she met his eyes with a bloodshot glare. “I’m a whale,” she grated, wiping the tears angrily from her cheeks. “All I do is eat, puke, and gain weight. I’m _disgusting._ ”

 

            “Johanna…” Gale replied softly, an ache building in his chest. He didn’t know what to do. “You’re _not_ a whale. I think you’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever known.”

 

            He wasn’t lying, but he knew she wouldn’t believe him. While she’d only recently begun to show the signs of her pregnancy, her body had filled out and given her more curves than she’d ever had before. Before he could come up with the words to attempt to reassure her, she spoke again.

 

            “I swear to god I’m on a fucking roller coaster of emotions and I can’t get off. I cried at a beer commercial today, Gale. I hate this,” tears threatened to spill over her eyelids again, so he scooted over to take her into his arms. It made her frustrated that she’d become a blubbering mess, crying more in the last few months than she had in the last ten years of her life combined.

 

            “Come on, Jo, let’s get up,” he stood and pulled her up with him, happy that she wasn’t protesting. “Come on,” he directed as he took her hand and led her from the kitchen.

 

            “What are you doing?” she asked, suspicious.

 

            He turned back and flashed a smile at her. “I’m going to show you how beautiful I think you really are.”

 

            Johanna raised her eyebrow and nodded, allowing him to pull her towards their bedroom. “I can deal with that.”

 

* * *

 

 

            Lying on the table, Johanna felt uncomfortable as the ultrasound technician squirted the cold gel onto her protruding stomach. Never one to shield away from nudity before her pregnancy, all she wanted to do now was smack the technician’s hand away and shove her shirt back down over her stomach.

 

            She might have tried it if Gale hadn’t squeezed her hand and shot her a stern look, already anticipating what she was thinking.

 

            “Would you like to know the sex of your baby?” the technician asked with an oblivious smile as she positioned the ultrasound wand on Johanna’s stomach. “You’re far enough along that we should be able to tell today.”

 

            Gale looked towards Johanna expectantly, a ghost of a smile playing at his lips. She could see the hope in his face, but her heart sank. She couldn’t; she wasn’t ready.

 

            “No,” Johanna responded curtly, laying her head back and closing her eyes. She felt Gale’s stare, probably a mix of hurt and confusion, but he stayed silent. After a moment, his hand slipped from hers.

 

            The rest of the appointment went by quickly, and Johanna was relieved when she was able to wipe the goo from her stomach and cover herself. She walked out of the clinic brusquely, trying hard not to look at Gale as they got in the car.

 

            The ride home was silent, until Gale pulled into the driveway. He turned the car off, but didn’t get out. Instead, he turned to Johanna.

 

            “What the hell was that about?” she could hear the anger in his voice, but still refused to look at him. She rested her forehead on the cool glass of the window and sighed, not wanting to reply.

           

            “ _Answer me,_ ” he demanded, and she finally turned to him.

 

            “I’m not ready,” Johanna responded, staring angrily at him. The last thing she wanted to do was explain herself. His jaw tensed, and she could sense his responding irritation.

 

            “What about me, Johanna? Did you ever stop to think about what I might want? Did you see if I was ready?” He spat out, his anger escalating quickly. “This entire thing has been about you. Maybe if you stopped being so selfish you might realize that _I’m in this too._ ”

 

            Johanna was stunned, his words stung. The insult hurt, but she knew what he said was true. “What do you want me to say, Gale? _I’m sorry I’m a heartless bitch?_ You knew that a long time ago.”

 

            She narrowed her eyes at him, her anger growing over the hurt she felt.

 

            Gale ran a hand through his dark hair, tugging at the ends. Frustrated, he rested his hands on the wheel in front of him. “Whether you like it or not, this is happening. Knowing if it’s going to be a girl or a boy isn’t going to change things,” he shook his head.

 

            “I said I’m not ready,” Johanna raised her voice, frustrated that he wasn’t getting it. “I’m not ready for _any of it._ I don’t even know if I want this.”

 

            He froze at her confession, his entire body tensing with shock. _“What?”_ he spat, turning to her, his grey eyes were dark and angry.

 

            Crossing her arms defiantly, Johanna shook her head. “You heard me,” now that it was out in the open, she wasn’t backing down.

 

            “So, what, were you just going to keep quiet and then give the baby up for adoption without talking to me once you decided you didn’t want it?” Gale responded, disgusted.

 

            She didn’t answer, because she honestly might have done it. She wasn’t sure; she wasn’t sure of anything, really.

 

            “Oh, that’s great, Johanna,” Gale laughed, the sound sarcastic and disdainful. “Thanks for showing me how much you care.”

 

            “I’m sorry,” she whispered, unsure of what she could say. Guilt brewed in her stomach, as it had done almost every day since she’d read the pregnancy test. _I shouldn’t have told him,_ she thought to herself for the umpteenth time.

 

            “Get out,” he ordered, now refusing to look at her. His eyes were directed forward, his jaw tensed and his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel.

 

            “ _What?_ ” Johanna was shocked, figuring they would go inside and fight it out like they did with everything else.

 

            “I said, _get out_. I’m leaving.”

 

            His words held a note of finality that she’d never heard from him, and the guilt she felt was soon overpowered by fear. _Is he really leaving me?_

 

            “I’ll come back to get my stuff when you’re not here. Apparently you don’t give a shit about what I want, and I’m not going to put up with this anymore. If you want to do this on your own, that’s what you’re getting.”

 

* * *

 

 

            Johanna spent weeks on the couch, refusing to move. Gale had come and gone, refusing to look at her as he packed his bags and carried his things to his car. He’d left a curt note on the counter before leaving, which she didn’t see until long after.

 

            _I’ll keep paying the bills until we get this figured out. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to talk._

_Gale_

           

            She’d taken early leave from work, blatantly lying to her supervisors that she needed extra rest due to a difficult pregnancy. It wasn’t until the floor around the living room was littered in trash and the kitchen was empty of food that she forced herself to be productive.

 

            Slowly she got into a routine, cleaning the house and going to her doctor’s appointments on her own. After a while, she went back to work, although she was only allowed half-time up until she finished her pregnancy.

 

            It wasn’t until she was completely alone that she began to bond with the life that was growing inside her. One night, as she stretched out on the couch and rested a plate of pizza on her stomach, she caught herself talking to it _._

 

            “Can you believe that? They shouldn’t have voted her off,” Johanna was disgusted at the reality show playing on the television, but didn’t bother turning the channel. “If you ever try to do something like this, you’re grounded. I don’t care if you’re 25, either.”

 

            She stilled, realizing what she was doing. Embarrassment burned her cheeks, even though she was alone.

 

            “Congrats, kid, you’ve got a crazy mother,” she whispered to her stomach before biting into her pizza.

 

* * *

 

 

            Johanna grumbled to herself as she walked to her car, exhausted after her shift at work. Her feet and ankles were swollen, and the perpetual heartburn felt like it was eating a hole through her chest. As much as she wanted to go home, she couldn’t.

 

            With each week her body grew bigger and bigger, effectively decreasing the size of her wardrobe and the things she could fit into.

 

            She was long overdue for a visit to the maternity store.

 

            After the short drive to the mall, Johanna walked through the crowds, grimacing at the pain in her body. “You sure are a lot of work, kid,” she mumbled, rubbing her stomach. “How do those women have like, 20 babies? Are they into self-torture or do they just lose all feeling from the neck down?”

 

            She spoke under her breath as she navigated towards the now familiar store, itching to get in and out as quickly as possible. All she wanted was a cheeseburger and a nap, and if it weren’t for the fact that she barely fit into her pants this morning, she’d be doing just that.

 

            Johanna didn’t waste any time in the store, rifling through the racks with ease as she picked out clothes in the size she needed. It only took her a few minutes to wander through the store, filling her arms with things that interested her. After dumping them unceremoniously on the counter beside the register, she was greeted with a confused look from the cashier.

           

            “Are you sure you don’t want to try those on?”

 

            Johanna raised an eyebrow, half amused and half annoyed. “If you were the size of a small planet with swollen feet and heartburn like lava, would you want to struggle to get in and out of these clothes in a four foot by five foot room?”

 

            The cashier let out a nervous laugh. “Good point,” she changed the subject quickly as she began scanning the tags. “Did you find everything okay?”

 

            She ignored the pointless chatter, paying quickly and taking the bag with a tight smile. The faster she could get home, the better. Her plan was interrupted as she exited the store however, when the scent coming from the pretzel stand wafted down from its spot around the corner.

 

            Feeling the familiar hunger growing in her stomach, she opted for a quick detour. Luckily the line was short, and she was soon walking back through the mall with her pretzel in hand. As she took a bite, her gaze wandered through the crowds that were milling around. There were couples walking hand in hand, annoying teenagers yelling and shouting at each other as they ran in and out of stores, and the occasional single sitting alone on a bench.

 

            Johanna was so caught up in studying the people around her as she walked back towards the main entrance that she almost missed the tall frame, olive skin, and head of dark hair that she was so familiar with.

 

            Her feet stopped immediately, and she darted out of sight in case he glanced her way. It was the first time she’d seen Gale in 8 weeks, since he’d packed his things and left her. The memory surfaced in her mind, and she couldn’t ignore the pang of anxiety in her stomach at seeing him. Looking as good as ever, he leaned against the wall outside of the shoe store, laughing with a bronze-haired man standing next to him.

 

            Gale wore his usual worn in jeans and button down shirt, the top few buttons undone and sleeves rolled up to his elbows, making it even harder to see him there. He looked like he always had, and he was just as irresistible to Johanna now as he was two years ago when they had met. She watched as he distractedly ran his hand through his hair, mussing it up as he laughed at whatever his friend had said.

 

            Any attempts to forget him over the last few weeks were ruined.

 

            Her heart sank; she knew she’d fucked up. Suddenly feeling nauseous and uncomfortable, Johanna tossed her pretzel in the nearest trash can and began walking the other way. She’d have to take the long way back to her car, because there was no way she was passing the front of that store and risking him spotting her.

 

            It wasn’t until she reached home that the anger set in. She walked straight into her closet, ripping the hangers from the rack and pulling things from the shelves in a rage. With every object she pulled- shoes, make up, jewelry- she threw it across the room with all the strength she had.

 

            She didn’t stop when she threw a bottle of nail polish towards the mirror on the wall, shattering it in an explosion of glass and red lacquer. She didn’t stop when she heaved the jewelry box out the door and it busted into several pieces, scattering across the floor with a loud crash. It was only when she reached the back corner and found the clothes Gale had left behind, that Johanna was able to stop.

 

            Her anger instantly transformed into sadness, overcoming her in a massive wave of grief. She collapsed on the floor, tears falling down her face. Images flashed through her mind of her time with Gale, only making her cry harder. Reliving those moments, now realizing how much she had lost by being so selfish, hurt worse than it had when she’d watched his car drive away the day he left.

 

            She sobbed until she had no more tears left to give, and her throat had grown raw as she lay on the floor, her body trembling from the purge of emotions.

 

            “What am I supposed to do?” Johanna asked aloud, feeling more defeated than she could ever remember. It was then, in the quiet aftermath, that the baby kicked her firmly.

 

            “Ouch!” she hunched to the side in pain, clutching her stomach. It wasn’t the first time, but it was definitely the worst. “Take it easy on the kidneys, jeesh…”

 

            Immediately after she spoke, Johanna felt a light pressure under where her hand sat on her stomach. The baby was moving around, now active after her outburst. Feeling the movements inside her filled her with a new feeling, battling the sadness and anger from her loss.

 

            Love.

 

            Slowly, she rubbed the spot where the pressure had been, and she knew what she wanted.

 

* * *

 

 

            “Congratulations, Johanna. You’re having a boy.”

 

            Johanna was staring avidly at the ultrasound on the screen, completely indifferent to the cold gel that was currently covering her large stomach. She was entranced with his image.

 

            The technician pointed out different parts of his body before letting Johanna listen to the heartbeat of her son. “He appears to be doing very well,” she smiled as she printed the photo from the machine. “You’re in the home stretch! Only six weeks to go!”

 

            Johanna knew she was only trying to be cheerful, but it only made her headache worse. Still, she accepted the photo with a smile after wiping the gel from her stomach. She struggled to sit up, bracing her head when a surge of dizziness overtook her.

 

            “Are you okay?” the technician questioned, concern filling her voice as she reached out to steady Johanna. “You look pale.”

 

            Johanna waved her off. “I’m okay, I must have sat up too quickly. It’s passed now,” she offered a weak smile. It _had_ passed, but the headache she’d had all morning was rapidly transforming into a migraine and she couldn’t help but grimace. “I just need to get something to eat and take a nap, I think.”

 

            The technician seemed unconvinced, but nodded. “If you have _any_ problems, call Dr. Ryser immediately.”

 

            Nodding, Johanna readjusted her clothing before following her out of the exam room. As she made her way through the hallway, the dizziness returned. The floor seemed to move underneath her feet, and the walls began to warp around her. Her vision was soon filled with black spots, everything seeming to swim before her eyes.

 

            “I need to sit down,” she reached out to grasp the wall, trying to steady herself. Johanna blinked a few times, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to clear her vision. Not seeing a chair in sight, she leaned against the wall and began lowering herself to the floor. Her legs felt shaky and uneven, weak underneath her weight.

 

            The last thing Johanna saw before her vision went black was the worried technician rushing to her side.

 

* * *

 

 

            “Johanna, can you hear me?”

 

            A voice floated through the thick haze that filled Johanna’s mind, and she struggled to open her eyes. The light was blinding, and she shielded her eyes quickly. Trying to focus on whoever was talking to her, she squinted. Slowly, her vision cleared and she saw a doctor leaning over her.

 

            “Johanna, you fainted,” the doctor spoke slowly to her, and although she felt like a child for it, she appreciated it. The fog still clung heavily to her thoughts and she was having trouble processing what had happened. “We’ve called an ambulance to take you to the hospital.”

 

            “No, no,” Johanna struggled to sit up from the floor where she was laying. “I don’t need to go to the hospital,” she insisted.

 

            “Careful,” the doctor helped her sit up slowly. “You have to go to the hospital; we need to make sure there aren’t any complications with the pregnancy.”

 

            She looked down at her stomach, feeling the flutters of her son inside her. The thought of losing him, or something being wrong, was terrifying. “Okay,” she begrudgingly agreed.

 

 

            After being admitted to the hospital and ordered to dress in a flimsy, backless gown, Johanna was more than happy to climb into the bed and get some rest while they ran the tests they needed. She sat through the extensive questioning of the doctor and the repeated blood draws, happy to finally get a moment’s peace when they all left the room.

 

            Sometime later, Johanna woke to a slight pressure on her hand, something rough and warm enveloping it completely. She opened her eyes to see Gale sitting next to her, his hand clasped around her own and his head bowed in silence. He didn’t see that she was awake, so she took the moment to watch him.

 

            His shoulders were tense, like she’d seen so many times before. In the hand that wasn’t holding hers, he was clutching the black and white ultrasound photo from earlier that day.

 

            “Where’d you find that?” she asked, startling him. He jolted up, surprise and relief filling his eyes.

 

            “Oh my god, Johanna, I got the call that you’d been admitted and I thought something terrible had happened…” emotions threatened to overtake him, his adams apple bobbing heavily as he swallowed.

 

            “I’m okay,” she assured him briefly, her eyes drawn to his own grey ones. “Where’d you get that?” she repeated her question.

 

            He briefly looked guilty, but smiled as his eyes found the image again. “It was sticking out of your purse,” he motioned to her pile of belongings in the corner. After a moment, he spoke quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, “I’ve missed you; both of you.”

 

            Johanna watched as he rubbed his thumb across the image, a sad smile playing at his lips. “I’m sorry for not coming around sooner. “

 

            “No,” Johanna held up her hand, “Don’t even try to apologize for something that _I_ did. I’m sorry for being a raging bitch and thinking that I was the only one dealing with this.”

 

            “I wanted to come see you, but I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to come back, but I didn’t know if I could deal with you giving up our baby,” his voice was defeated and quiet, and he rubbed his palm across his forehead tiredly.

 

            “Our son,” she corrected, “and I’m not giving him up.”

 

            Gale’s face was a mixture of shock and happiness, but he didn’t speak; he simply lowered his eyes back down to the sonogram, processing her words.

 

            “I don’t want to give you up, either,” Johanna’s voice was quiet and her admission was hesitant.

 

            He responded by leaning towards her and cupping her jaw in his palm before pressing a light kiss to her lips. “Then I’m not going anywhere.”

 

* * *

 

 

            The next few weeks were a flurry of activity, and Johanna felt helpless to it all. After being briefly hospitalized for dehydration, Gale had begun to treat her like she was helpless. Insisting she rest and eat at regular intervals, she was forced to sit on the couch while he moved back into the house.

 

            She wasn’t complaining about the service, though. As she grew even larger in the last month of her pregnancy, it was all but impossible to get up after she had lowered herself down into a seat. It gave Gale the perfect excuse to insist she stay and not overexert herself, while he forced plenty of food and water into her.

 

            “Gale, I’m pregnant, not paraplegic!” Johanna shouted at him one day, irritable from the pain in her back and the constant need to pee.

 

            He would just smile at her and shake his head before kissing her. “It’s my job to make sure you get to labor in one piece, and I missed out on it for almost two months; I’ve got some making up to do.”

 

            “I just want him _out of me._ He won’t get off my bladder and he won’t stop throwing punches,” she grumbled, waddling to the bathroom.

 

            “He takes after his mother!” Gale called, laughing as she flipped him off on her way down the hall.

 

* * *

 

 

            The day came when Johanna was in the kitchen, drinking a glass of water, when suddenly her sweatpants felt soaked through.

 

            “Did I just piss myself?” she struggled to see around her stomach, but felt the wetness between her legs. She pressed on her bladder instead, wincing when she realized it was still full.

 

            “Oh god,” realization hit her at once. “ _Oh god, oh god, GALE!”_ Johanna shouted, panicking. He came rushing into the kitchen, his hair still dripping from the shower.

 

            “My water just broke,” she blurted before he could ask, and his eyes went wide.

 

            “Oh god,” he echoed her, beginning to panic. “We’ve got to get your overnight bag and the car seat and we need to call the hospital to let them know you’re coming and-”

 

            “Gale,” she snapped at him, “I’m changing out of these nasty pants, and you can get that stuff in the car. Then we’ll leave.”

 

            That seemed to calm him, but she hoped they would get to the hospital in time before her contractions started. Her hopes fell short when, as Gale was pulling out of the driveway a few minutes later, her first contraction hit.

           

* * *

 

 

            Johanna was in labor for 14 hours, clenching Gale’s arm and screaming obscenities at him the entire time. “I swear to god I’m chopping your dick of with an axe!” her threats echoed the same one’s she had spewed at him nine months before, but this time, Gale was worried that she might _actually_ mean it.  

 

            The doctors and nurses laughed, impressed with her creativity with profanity. “She’s a spitfire, isn’t she?” they asked after she called him a “fucktruck.”

 

            The longer her labor went, the more incoherent she became. Tears were interspersed with the fuming outbursts, and Gale wished he could do _something_ other than hold on to her as she gripped his arm so hard her nails drew blood and left bruises.

 

            Finally, with one last push, Johanna heard the cries of her baby boy. His skin was an angry red as they rushed him away, cleaning the fluids from his body and making sure he was as healthy as they all hoped. Her body was exhausted, falling limp against the bed as she wiped her sweaty hair from her forehead. She panted, happy it was over.

 

            “ _Finally,_ ” she breathed, reaching for his hand.  Gale took it between his own and brought it to his lips with a wide smile.

 

            “You did it.”

 

 

            Soon, the small, mewling bundle was pressed into Johanna’s arms. She looked down at her son in awe, counting each one of his fingers and running her own over his soft, newborn skin. “He’s beautiful,” she whispered, watching him blink his eyes repeatedly. He was a mirror image of his father, with a dark shock of hair on top of his head and grey eyes that peered up at her. His skin was lighter, closer to her own shade than the olive color that all the Hawthorne’s sported, and to the two of them, he was perfect.

 

            After a moment, Johanna carefully passed the small bundle to Gale, watching with a loving gaze as he cooed down at his son. She saw the pure love that filled his face, bringing a new wave of tears to her eyes. In that moment, she couldn’t imagine living a life without either of them.

 

            “Gale,” she spoke, getting his attention. When his eyes met hers, she knew it was the right choice. “Marry me.”

 

            He stopped rocking the baby and frowned, a strange look crossing his face. He didn’t speak before handing the infant back to Johanna, worrying her that it was rejection. She felt the familiar sting filling her chest, but she forced herself to focus on her son. His eyes were trained on her face, curious as he made more sounds.

 

            “Johanna,” he tapped her lightly on the arm, and she took a moment to look at him. When she did, her jaw went slack.

 

            He sat on the bed beside her, a small gold ring nestled between his fingers. The stone glittered in the overhead lights, and she looked back up to his face. A smirk had replaced the frown, and he lifted her free hand to his own.

 

            “ _I_ was supposed to ask _you_ ,” he replied as he slipped it on her finger. 


End file.
